On Cloudultra Pro Preview
On are becoming a fixture on road and track podiums. The Cloudultra Pro marks their opening gambit in the trail supershoe wars. On’s designers wanted a trail shoe which is soft and responsive but also not lacking in support. Their answer is the Cloudultra Pro. Versatility was the name of the game when the shoe was being cooked up. From easy trail miles when enjoying the view to harder race based miles, On wanted this to be a friend to all trailers.
Whilst this is a plated trail racer, the stiffness of carbon was eschewed in favour of a more flexible Speedboard. Sandwiched between two layers of peba foam, the flexible plate guides and propels while the foam gives the explosiveness to get you rolling faster up hill and down dale. On’s research told them that a more flexible plate adds to the comfort and performance over distance. Whilst some runners may disagree, the proof of the pudding will be in the running.
Whilst On retain their traditional Cloudtec (the holes in the midsole) they are far less pronounced in recent shoes. This will probably come as a relief to those who run on trails where sticks, stones and other delights can find their way everywhere.
A 38mm heel is becoming more commonly seen on the trails and will be again with the Cloudultra Pro. The 6mm drop is in the mid range. Price wise, the Pro will come in at $260 which places it firmly in the supershoe bracket. Value wise, the weight of 275g means that you are paying less than a dollar a gram for this trail racing behemoth.
You can keep your eyes on our resident trail expert reviews across the Meta Endurance platforms. Or, if you prefer to vote with your wallet, you can pick up your own pair in February 2025.
